False: Donald Trump Has Paid Millions of Dollars in Taxes
The Claim
Donald Trump has paid millions of dollars in taxes.
News posted on
Emerging story
President Donald Trump claimed during the first US presidential debate that he had paid millions of dollars in income taxes. After the debate, Trump’s claims were circulating online.
Misbar’s Analysis
According to the New York Times, in 2017, Donald Trump had paid only $750 in taxes.
President Trump has also not paid any federal income tax for 11 years in the past 18 years. He has been involved in a decade-long audit with the Internal Revenue Service over a $72.9m tax refund he claimed, and received, after declaring huge losses. A ruling against him could cost him more than $100m, the Times reported. The IRS began an audit reviewing the legitimacy of the refund in 2011. The case remains unresolved to date, for unknown reasons, and could ultimately end up in federal court, where it could become a matter of public record.
In the New York Times' assessment, Trump's core businesses, such as his golf-courses and magnate hotel in Washington have been reporting losses, in tens of millions of dollars in attempts to avoid taxation. The Times report on his tax returns has also made it clear that Trump’s businesses have indeed benefited from his political career.